Coniston

Coniston LA21 8DU

Coniston is the name of both village and lake, the one half a mile from the other, and it’s the lake that’s the bigger attraction since the village is a fairly plain service centre, notable only for a good local museum and a churchyard holding the grave of 19th-century writer and art critic John Ruskin. Down at the lake meanwhile there’s a boat rental and watersports place, while ferries and the Steam Yacht Gondola take off on jaunts around Coniston Water, including across to the pier at Brantwood, which was Ruskin’s longtime home. Coniston’s lakeside café is open all year, and the terrace has some lovely views, making it a good target for lunch or afternoon tea.